TEDx International Lectures Come to Florida Tech July 6

SPACE STUDIES

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — International Space University/ Space Studies Program (ISU-SSP12) participants and the general public will have the opportunity to attend a free TEDx Event July 6 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Gleason Performing Arts Center on the Florida Institute of Technology campus.

During TEDxISU, leaders from the space community will address how the power of ideas in technology, entertainment and design influences and inspires their work in space.The audience will comprise leaders from the space industry, participants of the ISU/SSP12 session, personnel from NASA and local space industry companies, and the general public.

The event’s focus is on how space studies and accomplishments make life better here on Earth. This will be the first joint TEDx event for ISU, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Florida Tech.

The invited speakers are: Peter Diamandis (ISU co-founder), on “Abundance;” ISU alumni Michael Potter on “Geeks without Frontiers and “80211s for Africa” and Brian Rishik of on “iPhones in Space;” as well as NASA Astronaut Col. Ron Garan on “Fragile Oasis.” Also scheduled are musician Davy Knowles and Gia performance art.

TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) began in 1984 as a non-profit organization. The objective is to bring together people and ideas from these three disciplines. TED holds annual conferences in Long Beach, Palm Springs and Edinburgh U.K. each summer and offers the award-winning TED Talks video site, Open Translation Project, TED Conversations, TED Fellows, TEDx programs and the annual TED Prize.

The TEDx program provides the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. TEDx events are planned and coordinated independently.

“We at Florida Tech and the Kennedy Space Center are thrilled to host TEDx talks to inspire a new generation of space pioneers,” said University Professor Guy Boy, director of the Florida Tech Human Centered Design Institute and chair of the ISU-SSP12 Florida Tech-KSC local organizing committee.

Angie Bukley, ISU Dean and SSP Director notes, “ISU will celebrate its 25thAnniversary in April and the SSP12 session on the Space Coast is the 25thto convene. We are excited to have this unique opportunity to host the TEDxISU event, which will significantly enhance our academic program and be the highlight of the ISU Alumni Conference, which will also be in progress.”

The SSP offers participants a unique and comprehensive education covering all aspects of space programs and enterprises, including space physical sciences, space systems engineering, policy and law, business and management, space and society, satellite applications, and space life sciences and human spaceflight. About 130 students are expected for ISU/SSP12, hosted by Florida Tech and NASA Kennedy Space Center, from June 4to August 3. For more information, visit www.isunet.edu.

Additionally, the Florida Tech hosting organization is seeking sponsorships to help underwrite the costs of bringing TEDx to campus. To support this effort, and for more information, contact Delilah Caballero at dcaballe@fit.edu.